MS WMC (Vista) Hijacks Comcast Cable

[bah147]

I have "Triple Play" package from my Comcast- HSI,phone and HDTV with HD DVR. TV includes HBO,Showtime and Starz. Awhile back Comcast offered two free digital STB's(non-HD), which I picked up. In the promo lit it said you would be able to get the same level of service for the additional STB's. I was getting all my channels,music and ON-Demand services except the HD channels. Understandable, the STB is simply not made for that. I was happy.

Then I bought Vista. :stupid: :mad: :angry:

WMC is now telling me Comcast or Hollywood does not want premium channels(HBO,Showtime or Starz) displayed on my PC. Comcast has no idea what I am talking about.

I pay dearly (I think) for the "right" to watch HBO. I don't see where MS has anything to do with my TV service.
B4 someone suggests I call Comcast tech - been there, done that - but I NEVER should be in this position.MS will refer me to EOM HP. HP (real nice chaps in India,seriously) will not have a clue and will refer me to MS.

Then I am a Ping-pong ball

PS. I have no other DRM issues on my PC and my XP SP2(no WMC) plays premium fine.
We need CDR (Consumer Digital Rights).

[ArdenDag]

The problem lies in the fact that these companies impose the 'rights removals' without notifying their employees.... They can't help you if they don't know it's there!

Sigh... I don't know what to tell you... It's obviously in Microsoft's software to verify DRM management with the content being provided, and Comcast is sending these signals with DRM blocks to 'record'... so, even if you're not recording, and just using your PC as a conduit to watch... you may be screwed :(

Arden

[foxyshadis]

Walk further up the org chart, try to contact VPs or even board members. HP can't really help you, but someone inside Comcast and Microsoft absolutely will know why it's doing that. Contact your Attorney General or the BBB if you think that'll put the right kind of pressure on them. Contact Ed Foster at Gripe2ed.com, he has contacts into a lot of big businesses. Canceling Comcast at this point is probably a non-option, unfortunately, so you can hardly use that as leverage. If they're going to jerk you around, put the heat on them.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the Cablecard meltdown, or if it's just a Macrovision problem related to the new Vista DRM.

[bah147]

The problem lies in the fact that these companies impose the 'rights removals' without notifying their employees.

or their customers!

Thanks for the reply. Not really looking 4 a solution with the post, just making conversation.This is an example were it has gone too far, much too much trouble 4 me as a legal paying consumer to have to deal with it. Simply, shouldn't be.
Not one of them:HP(pc), MS(software) or Comcast (signal) will take responsibility - they point a finger at each other. At least Comcast tells you- " I don't know"- much better than getting bs for 20 minutes.

I'm not sure it is DRM per se: wouldn't I get some "revocation" notice? Like I said, XP is fine. I think MS Vista has made the decision. BTW, I should be able to record to my hard drive.as DRM protected dvr-ms

[bah147]

Walk further up the org chart, try to contact VPs or even board members. HP can't really help you, but someone inside Comcast and Microsoft absolutely will know why it's doing that. Contact your Attorney General or the BBB if you think that'll put the right kind of pressure on them. Contact Ed Foster at Gripe2ed.com, he has contacts into a lot of big businesses. Canceling Comcast at this point is probably a non-option, unfortunately, so you can hardly use that as leverage. If they're going to jerk you around, put the heat on them.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the Cablecard meltdown, or if it's just a Macrovision problem related to the new Vista DRM.

ahhh(THINKING)!!! Macrovision. There was a standard update a while(couple weeks) back. It never mentioned it in the standard description( usual bs "There has been a security Blah,blah....that could harm your computer" ), but when installing, ( I usually watch, no life here), I saw the word "Macrovision" flash. The timing is about right. brb

Thanks Foxyshadis

[crazee_canuck]

ahhh(THINKING)!!! Macrovision. There was a standard update a while(couple weeks) back. It never mentioned it in the standard description( usual bs "There has been a security Blah,blah....that could harm your computer" ), but when installing, ( I usually watch, no life here), I saw the word "Macrovision" flash. The timing is about right. brb

Thanks Foxyshadis

...but then again, Macrovision (the company) bought Installshield.

http://www.macrovision.com/products/1158.htm

[setarip_old]

@bah147

Hi!

I don't bother with "premium" channels but, as I recall, such stations are transmitted with a "scrambled" signal that is decoded only by one's cable box.

If that is the case, how are you able to properly play/display such channels on a PC (XP SP2)?

[foxyshadis]

CableCard in the pc tuner, or a physical tuner (set-top box) that just passes the clear signal to the pc.